Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) showcased their formidable batting prowess by posting a massive 286 runs to secure their first win against Rajasthan Royals. This performance underscores their reputation as a dominant batting unit, especially on their home ground. Notably, SRH fielded only three overseas players in that match, opting to substitute Travis Head with Adam Zampa. This strategic flexibility suggests they could further bolster their batting lineup by including players like Kamindu Mendis in place of Aniket Verma or Abhinav Manohar, while retaining Rahul Chahar as the preferred spin option. However, despite their impressive total, concerns remain as the Royals managed a commendable 242 in response, indicating potential vulnerabilities in SRH’s bowling attack.
Potential SRH XI:
1. Travis Head (Adam Zampa sub)
2. Abhishek Sharma
3. Ishan Kishan
4. Nitish Reddy
5. Heinrich Klaasen
6. Aniket Verma
7. Abhinav Manohar
8. Pat Cummins
9. Simarjeet Singh
10. Harshal Patel
11. Mohammed Shami
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have received a significant boost with pacer Avesh Khan declared fit to join the squad. LSG has faced injury setbacks, with Mayank Yadav, Akash Deep, and Avesh previously sidelined, and Mohsin Khan ruled out for the season. Avesh’s return is timely, especially after LSG’s recent inability to defend a 210-run total against Delhi, despite having them at 65 for five. The team heavily relies on Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant for batting strength. The opening partnership of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, neither being specialists, remains unconvincing.
Potential LSG XI:
1. Mitchell Marsh (Mukesh Kumar sub)
2. Aiden Markram
3. Nicholas Pooran
4. Rishabh Pant
5. Ayush Badoni
6. David Miller
7. Shahbaz Ahmed
8. Shardul Thakur
9. Ravi Bishnoi
10. Avesh Khan
11. Prince Yadav
As the teams prepare for their upcoming clash, SRH will aim to capitalize on their batting depth and address bowling concerns, while LSG looks to integrate Avesh Khan effectively and strengthen their top-order partnerships.
The Hyderabad pitch has evolved into a high-scoring surface. With four of the last six first innings surpassing 200, it’s clear that batting conditions are excellent. The early par lines in the high 180s and 190s reflected some uncertainty, but now the market is confidently setting the over/under at 224.5, assuming Sunrisers bat first. That’s in line with what we’ve seen recently.
Given SRH’s batting strength and LSG’s potential struggles with bowling depth, a smart play could be backing LSG to score over 190. The rationale? SRH’s bowling isn’t the most reliable, and even with Pat Cummins leading the attack, they haven’t consistently shut teams down. If SRH bat first and post another massive score, LSG will have no choice but to go hard, making 190+ a realistic target.
LSG has only chance when they bat second and restrict SRH below 210 or 220.
Hyd to win in chase…
